Chouest said to have canceled Arctic AHTS duo

Delivery of first Arctic AHTS from LaShip shipyard had been slated for end 2016

NOVEMBER 9, 2015— Shipbroker Seabrokers says that "market sources have indicated that Edison Chouest Offshore has canceled two newbuild 27,000 bhp AHTS icebreakers that were to be built at its LAShip yard in Houma, Louisiana."

Designed by ECO's North American Shipbuilding, Larose, LA, the vessels were to be built to Polar Class 3, equipped to operate in arctic waters with air temperature down to minus 40 degrees Celsius.

The reported Chouest cancelation of the pair comes in the wake of Shell's recent decision to halt its operations offshore Alaska for the "foreseeable future."

Delivery of first Arctic AHTS from LaShip shipyard had been slated for end 2016.